Shop, Sip, Snack at Fresh Coast Market

The secret behind blending grocery, dining, and local flavor

By Kelsey Sanders | Oct. 10, 2026

We all have a favorite shop, restaurant, coffeehouse, and even a favorite gas station. Those favorites often have several things in common: Good prices, good quality, and good people. Scott McDaniel, owner of Fresh Coast Market, takes pride in his Traverse City store having all three.

“I think the reason people stay and come back [to our store] is our team. It may not be why they come in, but it’s why they come back and stay loyal customers,” McDaniel says. “I sell the same products that are in other stores in this area, and I can’t control certain things, but what we can control is the team we have around us and how they make a customer feel when they come in. That’s what sets us apart.”

Fresh Coast, long a TC institution in new hands, provides easy-to-grab deli options, take-home food, grocery staples, local craft beers and wines, fresh bakery items, and local produce.

A Different Starting Point

McDaniel, who purchased the market a little over two years ago with his wife, Jennifer, hasn’t worked in the small business realm before. For the last 30 years, McDaniel had been working at an Anheuser-Busch distributor, a beer and wine wholesaler downstate, and then an automotive retailer, where he worked his way up to become a dealer partner at a luxury dealership in Lansing.

When his two sons graduated high school and left the McDaniels empty nesters, they started looking for a change.

“I persuaded my wife to look at northern Michigan, and this market came across my radar,” explains McDaniel. “The owner was looking to leave due to some family situations, and I was looking for an opportunity to continue in sales and service, and really, from the first visit into the store, it felt right. I got to meet some of our team, and it just felt like the right decision for our family. And then my wife was able to find a job as a kindergarten teacher in the area, so we made the move.”

What drew the McDaniels to the store was the connection to the community.

“The store is really important to this west portion of Traverse City into the Long Lake area. We have two schools on either side of us, the high school and then elementary school, and it’s important for the community to have somewhere convenient that has fresh products,” he explains.

Convenience and Comfort

Fresh Coast’s deli and freshly prepared food options make up about two-thirds of the store, while the rest of the products are dictated by the customers’ needs and wants.

“The biggest change I made was just having an ear to the ground and listening to our customers, talking to them when they come in, finding out what they're looking to accomplish, finding out what they want to have here for convenience,” McDaniel says. “The store was always consistent with the products we offered, but I don’t know how innovative it was.”

Mixing things up was his first priority. “Let’s look at new items, new sandwiches, and what can we develop that’s maybe a little different. We also grew our beer and wine selection significantly…”

McDaniel also put himself to work to curate local connections—for the benefit of Fresh Coast and other local owners. McDaniel has created a larger section of Michigan-made products, from produce to fresh flowers to local alcohol choices.

“Those partnerships [with other local businesses] are everything. I love small businesses like ours that are all in. There’s no Plan B. And I think the relationship piece comes into play because you get to develop that relationship. If I can buy a product here locally, that’s going to be my default. The quality and the freshness are far superior.”

He also loves watching customers come in for a sandwich and leave with a bouquet of flowers.

“To me, those are the small wins that make it worthwhile because I know those flowers are going to someone and that’s going to put a smile on their face. And I think our team understands that as well,” he says.

In addition to local items, McDaniel wanted to add healthier options, which means making room for and prioritizing those items.

“The previous owner did a nice job of establishing a wholesome product offering market, and I want to continue that,” McDaniel explains. “We don’t sell cigarettes or lottery tickets, and we don’t wish to bring those things back. I think it’s important to eat healthy and make healthy choices, so we may only stock one flavor of Oreos, and then we’ll also have a lot of gluten-free, sugar-free, and low-sugar items. I think a healthy lifestyle is important, and every decision we make has ‘fresh’ in the decision matrix.”

What to Eat (and Drink)

First and foremost, customers can now shop and sip when they visit the store.

“...in February of this past year, I applied to the state of Michigan to become an on-premises retailer, so we now serve beer and wine and spirits on-site,” McDaniel tells us. “That will be a fun part of the business that we grow and develop and something that local customers can become accustomed to, allowing our food service to be more of a focus than it was in the past.”

If you want to skip the alcohol, stop by the in-house coffeeshop instead, where seasonal flavors abound. There’s a Pumpkin Spice Latte, a cold brew with pumpkin cheesecake cold foam, the sweet Café Miel, and apple cider, in addition to a list of classic options. (Don’t miss the Ghiradelli hot chocolate when the weather cools off!)

Drinks—including smoothies and energy boosters—can even be ordered online ahead of time via the market’s website.

On the dining side, you’ll find the usual deli suspects of soups, salads, and sandwiches. Chicken Noodle is always on order, plus daily specials. Salads and sandwiches can be custom made with your choices of Boar’s Head meats, veggies, and dressings. But we especially dig signature creations like the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich (which also comes as a tenders plate), and the Greek Gyro Panini.

Then, of course, there are pizzas. Some are standard—like a BBQ chicken, a pesto, and a carnivore—but most of the offerings are more creative. Take the Reuben Pizza, for example, made in the style of the sammie of the same name. The Coast Guard Pizza has chipotle steak, red onion, roma tomatoes, and a topping of sour cream, cilantro, and lime. Meanwhile, the Nacho Average Pizza has a refried bean base, cheddar cheese, red onions, black olives, romaine lettuce, roma tomatoes, and pico salsa.

And while the kitchen itself isn’t gluten free, Fresh Coast does offer gluten-free options for its pizzas, sandwiches, and baked chicken tenders.

Bonus: The shop also carries 50 flavors of Moomers ice cream!

Staying Relevant Year-Round

The upcoming challenge McDaniel faces is one many small business owners in northern Michigan know: Smoothing out the fluctuations in seasonality differences. In other words, keeping business strong and consistent between Labor Day and Memorial Day.

McDaniel plans to do that by continuing to get customer feedback, as well as offering new products and expanding their food service to allow for their patrons to grab and go or stay and sit and enjoy a meal.

While McDaniel looks forward to working with his team to develop new offerings that change with the seasons, he will still prioritize creating the best team.

“That’s our most positive feedback—our team. And that’s my job, making sure we have the best team to serve our community. I’m looking for specific people who are looking for more than just a payment. I want to establish a team that cares about the people who walk through the doors, a team who gets to know our customers. That’s a point of difference,” he says.

Find Fresh Coast Market at 7270 North Long Lake Road in Traverse City. freshcoast.market